Compact-actuator gear set

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9909683-B2
Application number	US-201013062217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2010
Priority date	Mar 24, 2010
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A gearbox assembly for an actuator is provided. The gearbox assembly includes a rack, a spur pinion, a bevel pinion, and a bevel gear. Vertical translation of the rack causes rotation of the spur pinion and bevel pinion around a horizontal axis. The rotation of the bevel pinion causes rotation of the bevel gear around a vertical axis. The gearbox assembly may be coupled to a movable member of a valve so that actuation of the gearbox assembly moves the movable member. Systems including the gearbox assembly and methods of operation are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a gearbox assembly, comprising:
a rack comprising first teeth arranged along a curved profile along a length of the rack;
a first pinion comprising second teeth engaged with the first teeth of the rack, wherein the second teeth are configured to rotate around a first axis, the second teeth are disposed along an eccentric profile about the first axis, and a torque curve of the gearbox assembly is selected entirely based on the curved profile and the eccentric profile;
a second pinion coupled to the first pinion by a shaft and configured to rotate around the first axis;
a bevel gear coupled to the second pinion and configured to rotate around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis;
wherein the bevel gear rotates around the second axis in response to translation of the rack.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rack is configured to translate along a linear direction along the second axis, and the curved profile continuously curves along the length having the first teeth.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the curved profile varies in height along the length of the rack from a first base to a peak and from the peak to a second base, the curved profile curves from the first base to the peak, and the curved profile curves from the peak to the second base.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the peak is centrally positioned along the length of the curved profile.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second pinion comprises third teeth and the bevel gear comprises fourth teeth, wherein the second pinion is coupled to the bevel gear by engagement of the fourth teeth with the third teeth.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the curved profile varies in height along the length of the rack and has only one peak.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rack is disposed radially inward of the bevel gear in a radial inward direction relative to the second axis.

8. The system of claim 1 , comprising an actuator coupled to the gearbox assembly, wherein the actuator moves the rack in a linear direction.

9. The system of claim 1 , comprising a valve coupled to the gearbox assembly, wherein the gearbox assembly moves a moveable member of the valve.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gearbox assembly comprises a plurality of rack and pinion assemblies, wherein each assembly of the plurality of rack and pinion assemblies comprises a separate set of the rack, the first pinion, and the second pinion, wherein the bevel gear is engaged with the second pinion of each assembly of the plurality of rack and pinion assemblies.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein each rack of the plurality of rack and pinion assemblies is disposed radially inward of the bevel gear.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of rack and pinion assemblies comprise four rack and pinion assemblies engaged with the bevel gear.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein each rack of the plurality of rack and pinion assemblies is coupled to a shared piston, wherein movement of the piston causes translation of each rack of the plurality of rack and pinion assemblies.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gearbox assembly comprises an actuator configured to drive the rack in a first direction and a failsafe feature configured to bias the rack in a second direction opposite from the first direction.

15. A system, comprising:
a valve comprising a movable member;
a gearbox coupled to the valve and configured to move the movable member between a first position and a second position, wherein the gearbox comprises:
a rack having first teeth engaged with second teeth of a first pinion, wherein the first teeth are arranged along a curved profile along a length of the rack, the curved profile curves across a central portion of the length having the first teeth, the second teeth are arranged along a variable profile about a first axis of the first pinion, the variable profile has a variable distance relative to the first axis, and a torque curve of the gearbox is selected based on the curved profile and the variable profile; and
a bevel gear coupled to the first pinion,
wherein the gearbox is configured to convert translation of the rack into rotary motion of the bevel gear.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the bevel gear is coupled to the first pinion by engagement with a second pinion, the second pinion is coupled to the first pinion by a shaft, and the first pinion and second pinion rotate around the first axis in response to linear movement of the rack.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the rack is disposed radially inward of the bevel gear in a radial inward direction relative to a second axis of rotation of the bevel gear.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the gearbox comprises a plurality of racks, including the rack, disposed radially inward of the bevel gear.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the central portion of the length has a peak, the curved profile varies in height along the length of the rack from a first base to the peak and from the peak to a second base, the curved profile curves from the first base to the peak, and the curved profile curves from the peak to the second base.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the peak is centrally positioned along the length of the curved profile.

21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the curved profile continuously curves along the length having the first teeth.

22. The system of claim 15 , wherein the torque curve of the gearbox is selected entirely based on the curved profile and the variable profile.

23. A system, comprising:
an actuator gearbox, comprising:
a bevel gear disposed and configured to rotate around a first axis;
a plurality of rack and pinion assemblies, wherein each rack and pinion assembly of the plurality of rack and pinion assemblies comprises:
a rack comprising first teeth arranged along a curved profile along a length of the rack, wherein the curved profile has a variable curvature along the length of the rack, and the rack is disposed radially inward of the bevel gear in a radial inward direction relative to the first axis;
a first pinion coupled to the rack and configured to rotate around a second axis in response to translation of the rack;
a second pinion coupled to the first pinion and configured to rotate around the second axis with the first pinion;

wherein the second pinion of each rack and pinion assembly is coupled to the bevel gear such that the bevel gear rotates around the first axis in response to the rotation of each of the second pinions around the second axis.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein each rack of the plurality of rack and pinion assemblies is coupled to a shared piston, wherein movement of the piston causes translation of each rack of the plurality of rack and pinion assemblies.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the piston is coupled to a source of hydraulic pressure.

26. The system of claim 23 , wherein a torque curve of the actuator gearbox is selected based on the curved profile.

Assignees

• Morin Jesse
• West Tom
• Dequarti Alberto
• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Morin Jesse
• West Tom
• Dequarti Alberto

Classifications

• F16H55/26

  Racks · CPC title

• Y10T74/19665

  Bevel gear type · CPC title

• F16K31/54 Primary

  with pinion and rack · CPC title